With Jealous Love
by SCI SS OR S
Summary: Irvine and Rinoa begin "dating" to make their prospects jealous, the catch is it seems to be becoming less of a game as time goes on. What is to become of this relationship that never really existed. ISRSq rect. One Shot. COMPLETE!


Disclaimer: I do not own any FFVIII characters or ideas. Okay...I wish I owned Squall or he owned me either way.

Rated PG 13 for very brief language, mention of underage drinking, and brief sexual inuendo.

With Jealous Love

Rinoa entered the party looking stunning in her knee length red tank dress, and black high heels. Her hair was left down as usual but it seemed to have a bit more wave to it, all in all she looked stunning and caught the eye of every single man in the room. Selphie came in behind her looking equally radiant in a yellow sleeveless dress that reached just under her knees. Selphie had obviously made a great effort with her hair as instead of it's usual flipped style it swayed easily behind her back, straight and flowing.

The girls automatically begin searching for Irvine and Squall, who were meeting them here along with Quistis and Zell.

"There!" Selphie shouted over the loud music and began bounding over to Irvine who was chatting up a group of blondes by the punch bull. Squall was behind him leaning against the wall looking surely as ever, when he saw Rinoa walking gracefully toward him apologizing to the people Selphie bumped into on her charge over to Irvine, his spirits begin to rise.

"Having fun," Rinoa asked in good spirits. "I'm sure all the girls wanted to dance with you!"

He wondered how could she think that? How could she think anyone could ever like **him**. Also how could he even think about dancing with some girl at a party when she was the one he loved...though he could never tell her that, she'd never say she loved him back, she was much too good for him.

"Sure...," he replied absently. Rinoa looked as though she was about to ask him something else when Irvine came up from behind her.

"If it isn't the lovely Rinoa, would you like to dance?"

She looked at Squall as if he would give her some kind of answer but he just continued to stare out emptily into the room. Rinoa sighed.

"I'd love to," she smiled. Rinoa always did love to dance and Irvine was a pretty darn good partner.

"Now that's what I wanted to hear," with that he took Rinoa's hand and let her out onto the dance floor.

"So you're looking lovely tonight."

Rinoa giggled, "And you're acting quite charming tonight...what's the catch Kinneas," she joked and got a laugh out of Irvine.

"Can't a guy just ask a pretty girl to dance without interrogation?"

"Not when that guy is you, and that girl is me...you never try and get me alone unless you need something, so fess up!"

Irvine let out a long sigh and shook his head. "It's Selphie...I...I really like her."

"and let me guess you want me to get you two together for ya?"

"Would you Rin?"

Rinoa thought deeply for a moment letting herself fall into the music.

"Hmm... Well I'll talk to her..."

"Yes! You're the best Rin!"

"...under one condition!"

"Anything!"

"You get Squall to like me!"

Irvine paused for a moment, taking it all in, he'd never seen it before, Rinoa and Squall. He didn't know why but it almost made him jealous, it was like he wanted Rinoa to be open as an option. But...he was in love with Selphie wasn't he? Well if Rinoa was willing to get Selphie for him, he would talk to Squall for her. "I'd do anything for her...," he thought to himself for a fleeting second he thought he was in love with Rinoa. He then shook his head quickly banishing the thought as quick as it had come.

"Of course I'll talk to him for you, though I can't promise anything this is Squall we're talking about."

They both laughed at that it was true though Squall was like a brick wall, even if you got something through to him, there was still a chance he'd just ignore it. Rinoa hoped this time, it would get through, sink in, and make a difference. Irvine just wanted to see her happy, Rinoa was such a pleasant girl, and to have her heart broken might hinder that sunshine, which would affect everyone around her...including himself.

"Great! And I'll talk to Selphie for you! Later tonight, we'll meet up and discuss what we know," she giggled and he laughed, it was like grade school gossip mills, and it was going to be so much fun! "But they can not know we're up to this! Also...it probably doesn't look too good that we dance together...they might think something!"

They both laughed again and when the song was over went back to Selphie and Squall who were looking bored.

"Oh Selphie! We so need to talk! Let's go outside!"

Squall rolled his eyes, he wanted Rinoa to stay, just to be nearer to her, though he couldn't just say don't leave, he wanted to, in his mind he pulled her back, she'd only said five words to him since she got here, then again he didn't exactly try and make conversation, and he couldn't blame her for wanting to be away from him. He watched her beauty as she led Selphie outside whispering excitedly as the red head giggled and bounded around the more graceful Rinoa. Irvine watched Squall's gaze as it didn't once leave the figure of Rinoa, he was definitely attracted to her, getting him to admit it would be the challenge. After the two girls had exited the building Squall's gaze returned absently to the other side of the room.

"So...," Irvine drew out his words.

"So what," Squall replied to his friend.

Irvine thought about how best to go about this. Getting Squall to admit anything was pretty hard, especially when it came to love. He thought to himself, "I'll just ask him, say, like hey man do you like Rinoa, or something. Yeah Irvine go with that!"

"Look are you ever going to ask Rinoa out? Because if you don't I will!"

He thought again, "Okay, where the hell did that come from? I mean you like Selphie, Kinneas get a hold of yourself man, you're loosing it, but I can work with this...this might work! Just hope I don't piss him or Rin off!"

"Excuse me Irvine?"

"You heard me, ask Rinoa out, I know you want to."

"What would make you think **that**?"

"You're always looking at her and...is it such a bad thing? She's gorgeous, and you two actually get along, and since when do you get along with girls?"

Squall thought about this, was it really that obvious? Maybe Irvine noticed because he's had a lot of experience with women? Maybe because Irvine was his best friend, maybe because he **did** love her...?

"I...don't know?"

"So does that mean you like her?"

"You want to know what I think?"

"If you're actually gonna tell me!"

"I think you're going crazy, I don't love any girl right now..."

"Look at least talk to her, find out how she feels!"

"I'll think about it..."

"well that's a start," Irvine thought to himself, "Rinoa, I have to tell her!"

Meanwhile outside Selphie and Rinoa were having their own discussion on relationship statuses.

"Wait a second, wait a second, you think me and Irvine would make a cute couple, Rinoa are you insane! He'd never like me!"

"Oh don't be so silly, I think, I think you have to dance with him. If he doesn't ask you, you need to ask him. I know he'll say yes, he never says no to a dance...seriously."

"Hey kind of like you Rinny! You know the two of you are so crazy!"

"Hey...yeah we are," Rinoa said distantly.

"Oh uh hey Rin, he has to ask me, I can not ask him!"

"Would you ask him out?"

"WHAT! No! I couldn't!"

"Why not? You two would be perfect together!"

"Hmm...we'll see, but I'm not saying anything!"

"All right Selphie, let's go back inside!"

The girls walked back in, giggling and radiating happiness just as they had when they walked out earlier. They had managed to cease their giggling by the time they reached the boys. It was then when Rinoa seemed distraught.

"Has anyone yet to see Zell or Quistis?"

Irvine looked around, as did Selphie, even Squall seemed perplexed.

"Here we are," a tired looking Quistis appeared behind Rinoa.

Zell was next to speak, "Sorry we're late, I was having trouble with my hover board!"

Everyone knew that wasn't the case, as it was obvious the two were hiding something, but no one said anything, they all had too much on their minds, and now that they were all together it made for a bit of a distraction.

"Irvine can I borrow you for a sec?" Rinoa asked playfully.

"Sure as the sky is above us Rinoa!"

The group laughed and Rinoa led Irvine to a spot across the room.

"Look Rin, this is gonna be harder than we first thought...at least on this end!"

"Same, look, Selphie is so unsure of herself as a dating partner...it's gonna take something else to make the two of them budge!"

"I know, but what?"

"Well... I have an idea but it's not exactly going to be easy either...and I don't know if you'll go for it, I mean if you want we can just think of something else, I mean I'm sure there's something else...but I just thought..."

"Rinoa, it can't be **that** bad can it? I mean in love there are sacrifices, what's joy without a bit of sorrow...?"

"Well, I'm glad you think that way honey!"

"Uh...Rin did you just call me honey?"

"I, well, I thought if we pretended to be dating, then it would make Squall and Selphie jealous, and they would have to admit to their feelings! Then when we think we've got 'em we'd have a big public break up and I could go run to Squall for comforts, and Selphie would jump knowing you were available again!"

"Rinoa?"

"You hate it..."

"No...when did you get to be so devious!"

Rinoa giggled, "While you were out womanizing the garden dah-ling!"

Irvine laughed himself, "So when am I asking you out?"

"Hmm...tonight, make a big show of leading me outside and when I come back I'll look all flustered and be all showy and pull Quistis and Selphie away because I need to tell them something! You look all cocky and proud until Zell and Squall make you tell them what's going on okay!"

"Done!"

The two of them came back laughing and joined their friends, who all had no idea what the two of them had planned, in fact the entire group had it's secrets, even Rinoa and Irvine from each other, it was just the six of them happened to be as good at putting on masks, as they were fighters.

The night was turning out to be great fun, Irvine and Rinoa put on a big show of flirting with each other, and dancing with anyone at the party, Quistis was talking with some of her former classmates and students she'd spotted by the punch bowl, Zell was busy showing a group of excited ten year olds how to ride a hover board, Selphie was indulging in the snack table, and would occasionally dance if someone asked her, and Squall leaned against the wall going unnoticed as he preferred, watching the others mingle in the familiar party scene, temporally escaping their realities, he saw no reason to even try, to him that would've been the same as ingesting drugs or alcohol to drown your sorrow, any way you looked at it, it didn't fit in his life.

Later in the evening Irvine whisked Rinoa away from her friends and brought her on the dance floor. During the song they mixed into the crowd and managed to escape outside. The way they were laughing and still half dancing when they got to the bench outside, you would've thought they really **did** want to sneak away, and that none of this was a game anymore...

"Look, we've gotta be convincing right Rin?"

"Well...yeah."

"Then I'm going to act out everything as if this were all really happening, you know?"

"Shoot!"

"All right..." Irvine took a deep breath, this shouldn't be too hard, it was just for pretend, so why did what he and Rinoa had right now still feel so real...well if it could fool the two of them, the plan was sure to work on everyone inside. Irvine stood up, motioning for Rinoa to stand up as well.

"Okay, if I were really going to confess my feelings to you this is what I would do..."

Rinoa nodded she couldn't help feeling anxious. She wanted to see how Irvine handled this, and at that moment, she wanted him to kiss her, at that moment she was very attracted to him. He was very handsome after all.

Irvine took Rinoa's hands in his and brought them up to his lips, Rinoa moved closer as did Irvine and she couldn't keep his eyes out of her own. He let go of her hands and placed his hands on her shoulders, Rinoa wrapped her arms around his waist easing him closer to her.

"Rinoa...I've, well I wanted to tell you tonight, that you sure look beautiful and...?"

"And...?" Rinoa smiled convincingly

"I love you Rinoa Heartily," he said it with enough meaning she thought it might be true.

"Ir...Irvine?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

Irvine tilted his head to her height and kissed her passionately on the lips, Rinoa reached her hands over his back and pulled him even closer. He dropped his hands and rubbed her back. For that moment they felt passion and forgotten it was a game...they weren't in this for each other, Rinoa loved Squall and Irvine loved Selphie...right? After a several seconds the two pulled away confused. Irvine still had his arms draped around her petit waste and Rinoa's arms were set against his strong chest.

"Rinoa...?"

"Y...ye...yeah?"

"Do you think we should go back inside now?"

Rinoa nodded, she knew she was plenty flushed and could pull this off with ease.

"I'm sure I look pretty red...," she said wistfully.

"You sure are a good actress Rinoa!" he said playfully, "You almost had **me** convinced!"

"You should be one to talk Kinneas! You're pretty convincing yourself."

"Well, that's good right? I mean we want people to think we're a couple right Rin?"

She nodded, "Yes but for now, you should let go of me so I can go pull off the rest of this plan...you're still up for it right?"

"Uh, of course, Of course I am!"

Rinoa smiled and made a big scene of rushing in flushed. She found Quistis and Selphie talking to Squall and Zell in a corner.

"There you are Rinoa," said Quistis, "We were just looking for you...where did you and Irvine go?"

"Yeah," Selphie yawned, "We wanna get going it's getting late!

"Well...Selphie, Quistis...can I speak to the two of you...alone?"

Selphie nodded while Quistis looked concerned, the three girls walked over to a separate corner and began to converse, and Rinoa winked at Irvine who was now talking to Zell and Squall.

"YOU'RE WHAT?"

Zell, Quistis, and Selphie had the same loud reaction, while Squall stared at his friend in shock. As soon as Rinoa told them it seemed to be a unanimous reaction to look over at the guys who were all looking at them. Irvine smiled at Rinoa and she smiled back with a look like, "We've done it now!" They had done the easy part, they had faked the love scene to get their true loves jealous...the test would have to be what came out of the end.

After Rinoa told the girls they all walked back over to the boys and she was finding it particularly difficult to even look at Squall, and Irvine felt the same way about Selphie. They both hoped this wouldn't last long but didn't have long to think about it before the two of them decided to dance again, a dance to the start of their victory...to their futures in love.

As the weeks went by, Irvine and Rinoa spent much of their time in each others company, doing a great job of pretending to be a couple. Quistis and Zell also seemed to be disappearing a lot lately and Selphie would often find herself lonely without her girl friends to hang out with. Squall spent much of his time by himself as usual, but seemed rather distant from his friends. In the fourth week of Irvine and Rinoa dating, there was a rare occasion all six of the group were together, it was lunch time, Rinoa and Irvine usually skipped lunch in the cafeteria, as did Zell and Quistis, Squall usually ate in his room, and Selphie had started to sit with other people. During lunch Selphie finally spoke up.

"Well, this sure is nice all of us together again eh?"

The six of them seemed to agree, it was nice. Even Squall had to admit he missed spending time with them, especially Irvine, his best friend, and Rinoa the girl he loved.

"Anyway..." Selphie started. "Anyway, I'm having a party this weekend, on Saturday and I think it would be a great idea for all of you to come! I hope that since it's Thursday now, I gave you enough notice!"

The reply was unanimous all of them were happy to be going to Selphie's party, and would be glad to be able to talk to each other in different pairs, or groups as it had once been.

"Great!" Selphie was overjoyed. She really wanted everyone to come, especially Irvine, ever since what Rinoa had said to at the party almost a month ago, it had caused her to rethink her feelings for her friend. She had decided contrary to what she told herself and others, that she really did have feelings for Irvine, and she really wanted to talk to Rinoa about it, no matter how hard it would be.

It was Friday night and Irvine and Rinoa were in his room talking. Rinoa was sprawled out on the bed and he was sitting at his desk chair. It was quiet, the two of them simply enjoying the other's company. Rinoa turned her gaze from the window, to look at Irvine, and then she spoke.

"Ahem...I think tomorrow will be a good opportunity for us to break up." she said giggling.

Irvine nodded solemnly. He had been thinking it would end up this way, but he was almost reluctant to let Rinoa go. "So, why am I breaking up with you?"

"Because...there's someone else?"

"There is?"

"Well you love Selphie not me! So yes, there is, it's not even a lie!"

"Right, well I suppose that will work, but...do you think that would make Selphie feel bad, since you **are** her friend and all?"

Rinoa nodded her head. "I already thought of that, just tell her I'm fine with it, and I'll act like I am, then I'll disappear, and you send Squall to come find me you see..."

Irvine nodded, almost stunned at her ideas. She really was brilliant, and devious, the best part was no one ever seemed to notice.

"Well, it was great doing business with you Mr. Kinneas, but if you'll excuse me I must be getting ready for a party tomorrow!" She turned to leave smiling. "This really was fun..."

"Rinoa..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you have to leave **right** now?"

Rinoa smiled and walked over to where he had stood up, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

"I really **should** be gong...," she said wistfully, the way he was holding her right now, she really didn't want to pull away, it reminded her of exactly how she had felt the night when they started "dating"

He ran his fingers through her hair absently, he really wanted to just be with her, though he **knew** that he had feelings for Selphie, he wasn't sure what this was but he leaned down and kissed her one last time, she allowed him to kiss her and she hugged him tighter.

"Now...," she said quietly, "I really do have to go."

He nodded and patted her on the shoulder, she left smiling, knowing that though they didn't have a real relationship, the two would stay good friends.

That night she called Selphie. She hadn't talked to her best friend in a while and she realized she missed their conversations.

"Hello?"

"Hey Selphie, it's Rinoa."

"RINOA, Do you need anything?"

"Nope, just called to talk."

"Really"

"Really, really, so did you pick out an outfit for the party?"

"No.." Selphie sounded defeated. "I don't have anything to wear."

"Well why don't you come over, and I'll see what I've got!"

Selphie shrieked with joy at hanging out with her friend again and ran right over. The two girls spent hours raiding Rinoa's closet and trying on ridiculous outfits, making impressions and just hanging out. When it was midnight Selphie and Rinoa decided Selphie just had to stay there and they stayed up until almost four in the morning before becoming exhausted and falling asleep on top of the mound of clothing they had left on Rinoa's floor.

"Rinoa! Rinoa! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Huh...what?" It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon and a groggy Rinoa was awakened by a very excited Selphie.

"Rinoa! It's Saturday!"

Rinoa sat up quickly, "We've got to get our outfits ready!"

"Yeah, and I still gotta set up!"

Rinoa nodded, "We'll pick out outfits then I'll come help ya set up deal?"

"Sounds great!"

So after the girls had picked out their outfits, and straightened up Rinoa's room they headed over to Selphie's house to decorate the place. It was five pm, the guests were to be arriving in two hours, so after they had finished decorating, they went to get changed. Selphie had decided on a short black skirt and yellow strapless top, with black stars across the top. Rinoa had on a blue gauze peasant top and a fitted white knee length skirt. Rinoa left her hair down once again and it blew straight down the length of her back, while Selphie chose to be different and wear her hair in a bun with black hair sticks through it.

"You look great Rin!"

"As do you Selphie!"

"Rinoa...?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Irvine a good boyfriend?"

"Uh...yes...why?"

"Just asking, so...are the two of you in love?"

"Well...I...not really no, it's more of a, casual dating situation you know?" Rinoa spoke with hesitation, not really knowing what to say.

"Do you think you'll be together forever...like you'll get married?"

"I don't think so...in fact...we haven't exactly been getting along lately...don't say anything though okay?"

"I uh I won't! Oh but Rinoa...are you going to break up?" Selphie said trying to show sympathy for her friend.

Rinoa shrugged trying to hide her knowingness. "I uh I don't know..."

"Well don't sweat it Rin, there are plenty of other fish in the sea!"

Rinoa smiled at her friend's usage of the cliche she had heard millions of times in her lifetime. "We should go downstairs, it's five after seven already, I'm surprised the doorbell hasn't..."

At that very moment the doorbell rang and the two girls went running down the stairs to answer the door. Irvine stood there with a board looking Squall and an anxious looking Zell.

"Hey Selphie," Irvine greeted her smiling genuinely.

"Hey Irvine!" Selphie giggled and turned to look for Rinoa who had disappeared.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Rinoa called aware of the possibility that Selphie wanted to know where she was. Selphie beckoned her guests in and told them to help themselves to whatever they wanted.

As the night went on, people laughed and talked, seemingly having a great time. Squall stayed out of the scene as usual, but he couldn't help noticing something happened to be on Rinoa's mind. He always seemed to notice her, and he thought back to the night at the party several weeks ago.

_"Look are you ever going to ask Rinoa out? Because if you don't I will!" _

He could still picture Irvine saying that to him, he thought it had been a joke, he never thought Irvine would actually ask Rinoa out. In his heart ever since then he had wanted to love Rinoa even more...he supposed it was true now, that you never know what you have until it's gone, but the part that plagued him the most was that he had never even had Rinoa!

Later that evening Rinoa was talking to Quistis about something that had happened over in Dollet a couple of weeks ago, when Irvine came over and asked if he could speak to Rinoa alone, Rinoa agreed and casually walked away with him, leaving Quistis to wander over to Selphie.

Outside Irvine and Rinoa laughed.

"So do you think I sounded serious enough when I asked to talk to you Rin?"

"Yup! Well are you going to devastate me now?"

Irvine laughed and nodded, "I'm very sorry to have to do this Rinoa...but I don't love you anymore..."

"But...but, why? I still love you!"

"Well," he started trying not to laugh as she was grinning, "There's someone else!"

"Another woman?"

"No it's Squall!" They both erupted into laughter and then tried to become more serious again.

"I'm sorry but I love Selphie..."

"No! You can't!"

"I...do, at least I think I do!"

"Excuse me?"

"I do feel something for you Rin..."

"Excuse me?" she said again even more confused. She had definitely been feeling something for him as well, she just assumed it was all the time they had been spending together, and she had grown to love him as a friend.

"I, don't know..."

"Even if you do love me...it wouldn't be fair to Selphie, she loved you first you know it..."

"I know, but I just...well I like being around you Rin."

"Well Irvine! Don't talk like this is the end! I mean we're definitely friends! Good friends, we had never really spent a lot of time together before, and we realized that we liked each other's company more than we thought we would right?"

Irvine nodded, and smiled another genuine smile. "So we can still hang out?"

"Of course!" She hit him playfully on the arm. "Now let's go back inside, and remember dance with Selphie when she's alone got it!"

"Right! And you'll make it obvious to me when you want me to send Squall after you right?"

She nodded and they walked back inside seemingly distant. Rinoa walked over to her friends slowly trying to pretend that she was pretending to be fine. Irvine walked over to Squall and Zell to tell them all the news too.

"So you just decided together that is was over?" Quistis asked interested.

Rinoa nodded making sure she didn't seem too hurt. "In fact, I might have to do this dating thing again sometime." Her, Quistis, and Selphie all shared a laugh.

"Well, I'm off to refreshments...again!" Selphie said and bounded off to the punch bowl.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Quistis looked concerned. Rinoa nodded and tried hard to smile a forced smile. It was harder to pretend to be hurt and covering up than she thought. "Well than I'm going to ask Zell something, try and have fun Rin!"

Rinoa nodded and when she realized Irvine was looking at her she walked outside to the back porch and sat on a bench taking in the night.

About fifteen minutes later Selphie came skipping over to where Irvine and Squall were standing, Quistis and Zell were on the dance floor and it was becoming more and more evident that they were closer than anyone thought.

"Irvine, have you seen Rinoa?"

"I think she went outside why?"

"Well...because this is her favorite song and it's not like her to miss a dance!"

Irvine shrugged, "Say Squall would you go check on her, I'm afraid she'd be mad at me, and Selphie's going to be occupied in just a second."

Squall nodded slowly and walked outside.

"What am I going to be occupied with?"

"Dancing with me."

Selphie smiled than quickly frowned, "You don't think Rinoa would get mad do you?"

"Of course not, we decided together that we were breaking up, and it's just a dance right?"

Selphie nodded and let Irvine lead her onto the dance floor.

"Rinoa?" Squall asked quietly when he saw a girl sitting absently on a porch bench staring up at the sky.

"Yes?" She asked quietly.

"Are you okay...?"

Rinoa didn't answer. She knew Irvine had sent him to look for her, but he sounded like he actually cared how she was feeling. Squall walked over to where she was sitting and looked at her, she looked rather upset for someone who had decided **with** their boyfriend that it was time to break up. He sat down next to her. Rinoa leaned her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes. Squall was surprised at her closeness, he felt as if he should pull away but he rather liked her being there.

"Rinoa...I had been meaning to talk to you..."

"About..."

"About you...there's something about you...it makes me feel...different, I don't know what to say."

"Squall?"

"I know it might not be the right time to tell you this, seeing as how you just broke up with Irvine...but...I think that I...I, I love you Rinoa."

Rinoa didn't say anything, she just sat there breathing it all in. It was right then that she **knew** she still loved Squall, and that was she had with Irvine was simply attraction and infatuation. When he said that he loved her it made her feel alive, and refreshed, but at the same time she felt weighed down with emotion and passion. She didn't know what to do, so she just put her arms around him.

"I love you too."

"You do?"

He sounded so shocked, he hadn't actually expected her to say anything back, he expected her to freak out and run away, he bared his heart to her and she accepted him freely. He didn't know how she could just switch from Irvine right on to him, but he hoped she would be with him for a very long time.

"Irvine and I were never in love..."

"You weren't"

He listened in shock as she told him the whole thing, how she and Irvine only started pretending to go out so that he and Selphie would somehow realize they had feelings for the two of them.

"Rinoa..."

"I'm sorry if you think I'm horrible now, and that you won't talk to me, because you think I'm a bitch, or something, or that you hate me for just not telling you before. But I had to tell you now, I had to let you know I only ever loved you, and I...I, I, am sorry..." She trailed off and began to cry into his chest hoping he wouldn't just abandon her.

Though he wouldn't even think of it. In fact he was appalled she'd even think something that awful. He was especially upset that called herself a bitch, he loved her after all and though it had made him sad to see her with Irvine, he wanted her to be happy, and now he had found out it was all for him, he was overjoyed.

"Rinoa?"

"Yes..."

"I don't think any of those things, I love you."

Rinoa smiled and hugged him, she pulled away just a bit and he leaned down and kissed her. After about thirty seconds they parted, leaving Rinoa absolutely breathless.

"Rinoa, would you dance with me?"

"I would love to."

So the two walked in and danced for hours, which Squall never even thought he was capable of, but with Rinoa leading him, he picked up the moves quite easily.

At the end of the night, the five of them offered to stay and help Selphie clean up, for which she was very grateful. At around one AM when all the guests had gone, and all was clean the six of them sat around in Selphie's living room. Irvine sat in the big armchair with Selphie in his lap. Rinoa was sitting next to Squall on the loveseat with her head on his shoulder as he absently stroked her hair, and Quistis and Zell were on the couch and Zell had his arm around her.

"Okay, what's going on?" Selphie asked confused.

It was then everyone really realized how they were sitting. Quistis looked at Zell and he nodded.

"Well..." Zell started. "Quistis and I have been dating for almost a month now." He laughed nervously as the group looked at the two of them shocked. "Wow! glad to get that off my chest!" Quistis laughed, and so did everyone else.

"Um...well, I uh I'm going out with Squall." Rinoa smiled nervously and Squall tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Am I the only girl without a boyfriend!" Selphie stated disappointedly.

"You don't have to be." Irvine smiled wildly.

"Are you asking me out?"

"That's what it sounded like to me!" Rinoa chimed in, to give Selphie approval.

"Then I accept!"

The six friends laughed and talked until it got later and later, Selphie almost died of laughter when she found out what had been going on between Rinoa and Irvine, and Zell and Quistis found is equally amusing. Zell told the story of how he asked Quistis out which turned out to be quite a funny story as well. The group agreed that all of them missed spending so much quality time together and that they should hang out like this more often. Selphie suggested that everyone just come to the cafeteria everyday so they could eat lunch together. They all laughed and decided that was the obvious answer and made the most sense.

It wasn't until five in the morning when everyone fell asleep. The six of them fell to sleep in all the various chairs in the sitting room with their significant others. Love had finally worked out for Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Zell, and Quistis. Even if it took time and stress eventually all six of them had found friendship and romance within each other to last a lifetime.


End file.
